Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1887-11-25
THURSDAY NIGHT IN THE JAIL.
How tho Prisoners Rested-parsons' Death
Sons-Testing the Gallows-Preparation
for the Execution,

How tho Prisoners Isested-parsons' Death
Sons-Testing the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
for the Execution.
How did the condemned men pass their last
night on earth-how did they sleep? Not very
we'll during the first part of the night. At Il
o'clock Parsons was still awake, tossing uneas-
lily on his couch. Spies could not Sleep 1t ap
pearcd He remained twisting about with
wide-open eyes, and naturally his sense of hear.
ing was acute. Certainly he must have heard
the sound made by tho carpenters when they
were putting up the gallows. That could not
have escaped him very we'll, because it was
distinctly audible oven i'll the jail office, and the
door there IVES closed so as to shut out all
sounds that might disturb the doomed men,
At midnight the stiffness could not have been
greater. Perfect aud entire Quietaess prevailed
Only tho kissing noise OF the burning gas was
heard. A few minutes before Parsons, moved
to the uttermost OF feeling, sang Annie Laurie"
The gualds were in his cell at the time. They
couldn't wouldn't prevent his singing; but
his voice went up in that old song a stir
derers' row. The prisoners were awakened
They listened, their heads propped up on
their elbows to the .homely but pathetic
dirty, and more than tinge OF sadness char
acterzed the plaintive voice Of the singer. He
was singing his deuth song. Mayhap in years
agone he sang AMMO Laurie" to his little ones
ut home. It was favorite air Of his, for ut all
| events 1t was the last one he would Sing before
lying down for his last rest; He slept we'll.
did s and FISCHER Two guards
corridor were other guards, more guards
were in the Jail yard, and still more of them
were outside and all around the Criminal
Court building. They oil felt pretty secure for
only that afternoon. ALI afternoon civil en-
gineers had examined every street and thor
| oughfare adjoining in . quest after explosive
mines. The engineers finished their examine
| ton toward nightfall, and their assurance was
| to the effect that, despite all talk to the con.
trary, there was no anarchist mine in any OF
the streets leading to the Jail or Criminal Court
! building.
| Before midnight. and while the anarchists
| were either sleeping or feigning sleep, the gal
| lows were put up. They are the ones used IN
the execution Of Mulkowsky and the three Itnl-
| ians. About l o'clock Friday morning they
| were tested just Us had been done in the case
| of the Italians, and they were found to operate
| without any hindrance
A bag OF sand weighing 1870 pounds was swung
! of four times, once from each rope, and with
no other etfect than to stretch the rope trife.
| The ropes were OF excellent quality, and en-
| dured the test to the best advantage. Experts
| who were present said there wasn't a doubt
| but that the ropes could be depended on.
At two o'clock theso was absolutely moth
ing undone. wagon had been driven up
to the Jail some time before and four collins
were taken out and deposited in the basement
adjoining the kitchen. That was the very last
| preparation for the impending tragedy. The
o1icials who were to perform the execution
slept the men to be executed slept Two
| guards watched the slumber of each Of the
| doomed men. From midnight forward till day
break silence regned in the jail.